Why Did President Obama Pick Savannah?

PRESIDENT OBAMA VISITS SAVANNAH TUESDAY AS PART OF HIS ‘WHITE HOUSE TO MAIN STREET” LISTENING TOUR

I don’t know why President Obama picked Savannah for his “Main Street” visit to Georgia Tuesday, but he will certainly be in probably Georgia’s most charming city. I was there recently and really enjoyed the visit. It’s a beautiful place, and, as you know, the most historic city in Georgia. It’s where Georgia started in 1733.

River Street in downtown Savannah, Georgia

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution story by Bill Torpy and Jeremy Redmon, the White House will only say that ” its residents ‘have been hit hard and know well the challenges that Americans are facing right now’ — a criteria that could fit Anytown, USA.”

The president will be conducting a town hall type meeting at Savannah Technical College. The Savannah Morning News reports that only invited guest will be in attendance because the school’s auditorium will only seat 200 people. After he finishes there, he is scheduled to make some more stops during his four hour visit, but the White House won’t say where they will be.

Port of Savannah on the Savannah River. It exports more than it imports.

According to the AJC story, Robert Eisinger, dean of liberal arts at the Savannah College of Arts and Design, says, ” Savannah provides racial, ideological and geographical diversity,” he said, and “It’s a president’s job to go out and listen. There’s an export story he can tell here, a manufacturing story and an education story.” He pointed out the photographic settings, which include “historic architecture, an expansive river view, and a busy port that all can help bring home whatever message Obama wants to make.”

There are some high profile Republicans in the Savannah area, such as Congressman Jack Kingston who is opposed to the $787 billion stimulus program – though Georgia Republican Governor Perdue’s administration had no problem in accepting Georgia’s share of the money- but, the president will not be in hostile territory. He pulled 57 percent of the vote in Chatham County.